Means for and method of cooling and ventilating airplane fans



July 28, 1931. F. H. GALLAGHER 1,316,183

MEANS FOR AND METHOD OF COOLING AND VENTILATING AIRPLANE FANS Filed Nov. 16. 1928 InUenZ'f-r" Bank H fialleggh r.

Patented July 28, 1931 UNITED STTES PATENT QFFFCE FRANK 1r. GALLAGHER, or CHICAGO, ILLINors, AssIeNoR TO NICHOLAS G. GANELLIS, OF CHICAGO, ILLIno'rs MEANS FOR AND METHOD OE COOLING AND VENTILATING AIRPLANE FANS Application filed November 16, 1928.

My invention relates in general to a novel means and method of cooling devices having means for creating air currents and has mor particular reference to the cooling of motors 5 used in fan assemblies, more especially of the type shown in my copending applica tion, Serial No. 356,086, filed April 18, 1929.

One of the important objects of my present invention is to form and arrange the fuselage of an airplane that the draft created by the propeller may be utilized to cause a cooling draft through the internal portions of the airplane body.

Another important object of the invention is to create a cooling draft of air through the enclosing housing of a motor, said draft being induced by the operation of the motor itself.

Another important object of the invention 29 is to provide a means for ventilating the interior of a housing enclosing a propellered prime mover.

Numerous other advantages will be apparent as the invention is more fully understood from the following description, which,

taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, discloses a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Referring to the drawing:

The single figure is a bottom plan view of a fan, formed in simulation of an airplane, parts of the device being shown in section to reveal the details of construction.

To illustrate my invention, I have shown on the drawing, an aerofan, that is, a fan formed in simulation of an airplane. The aerofan consists of a motor 11, having a casing 12 and end pieces 13, provided with perforations 14, a propeller 15 attached to the forward ends of the motor shaft, wings or planes 16 secured across the top of the motor casing and braced to its sides by means of struts 17 and a fuselage or body 18 which in the present instance comprises a tapering tube, preferably formed of sheet metal and having its larger end secured to the motor casing at the peripheral edges of the rear most end piece 13 and extending rearwardly. The rear most end of the fuse- Serial No. 219,830.

is provided with tail planes 19 and rudder 20 which is pivoted to the fuselag The airplane may be supported in air oy any convenient means and the motor 11 may be supplied with power from any convenient source. In the present instance, I have illustrated an electric motor which may be connected, by means of lead wires 21, to any convenient external source of electric power.

will be ap )arent that the fuselage 18 forms a continuation of the casing 12 which, together with the fuselage, forms the body of the airplane. It will also be apparent that as soon as power is applied to rotate the propeller, that the latter will cause a draft of air to pass rearwardly along the sides of the fuselage, but comparatively little if any of. this draft will be forced through the motor by direct action of the motor. The end 22 of the fuselage, however, is left open and the sides of the fuselage are imperforate so that the rush of air along the outside of the fuselage creates a suction or vacuum at the rearmost open end 22 of the fuselage tube 18 and this vacuum or suction in turn draws a steady stream of cool air into the forward end of the motor through the openings 1 1 of the forward end piece 13, through the internal portions of the motor through the apertures of the rearmost end piece 13 and through the tubular fuselage 18, which is thus ventilated and prevented from becoming over heated, due to the proximity of the motor 11. This ventilation feature is of importance if and when it is desired to utilize the space of the fuselage to contain Yarious mechanical elements for the control of the motor or of the rudder. H'cretoti'ore ventilation has been accomplished by providing apertures in the wallsof the fuselage but such a construction destroys the sightly appearance of the device and provides lodging places for dirt, dust and oil and is otherwise unsanitary and unsightly.

The construction of my invention obviously provides an improved appearance, since it eliminates perforations in the sides of the fuselage while at the same time providing adequate ventilation and cooling for the interior of the fan casing.

It is though that the invention and numerous of its attendant advantages will be understood from the foregoing description and it will be obvious that numerous changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the various parts without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention or sacrificing any of its numerous advantages, the form herein described being merely a preferred embodiment of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. The combination of an elongated tubular housing, a rotatable fan mounted at one end of the housing in position to cause a draft of air to pass along the sides of the housing, said housing having an aperture formed in its end adjacent the fan and having an opening at an end remote from said fan whereby upon the operation of the fan to create a draft of air as aforesaid, the interior of the housing may be ventilated by suction created at the remote end.

2. The combination of a relatively long tubular member having imperforate walls and open ends, a fan and. means for operating said fan, said fan and operating means being mounted at the forward end of said member, whereby upon the operation of said fan, a draft of air may be caused to pass rearwardly along the outer sides of said imperforate tubular member.

3. The combination of a relatively long tubular member and a motor, said motor having a casing and a fan mounted to an end of its shaft and said tubular member having imperforate Walls and open ends and being attached at one end to the motor casing in order to form an outwardly extending continuation thereof, whereby, when the motor operates to drive the fan, a draft of air may be projected along the sides of the member to create a suction at the remote open end of the member, whereby to ventilate the interior of the member and the casing.

a. The combination of a relatively elongated tubular housing made of sheet material, an electric motor mounted in one end of the housing and carrying a fan in position to create a draft of air along the exterior of the housing toward a remote end, said housing being open at its opposed ends whereby said external draft may create a vacuum at the remote end whereby to ventilate the motor.

5. The combination of an electric motor having a casing and perforated end pieces, a propeller carried by the motor at its forward end and an elongated tubular housing having imperforate side walls extending rearwardly and forming a continuation of the casing, said housing being open at its remote end whereby, upon the operation of the propeller to direct a current of air rearwardly along the exterior of the housing, a vacuum may be created at the remote end of the housing whereby to ventilate and cool the motor and housing.

6. The combination with an electric motor having a casing and perforated end pieces of a propeller mounted to the forwardly extending end of the motor shaft and an elongated tubular housing having imperforate side walls and extending rearwardly and forming a continuation of the motor casing, said housing being open at and tapering towards the remote end, whereby when the motor is operated to drive the propeller in a direction to force a current of air rearwardly along the exterior of the housing, a vacuum will be created in the remote end of the housing due to the rearward rush of air and thereby to ventilate and cool the motor by drawing air therethrough and into the housing.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

FRANK n. GALLAGHER.

ISO 

